An open letter to the Mayans and those equally worried about the end. At this time, I'm still here (10:20 a.m.  Dec. 21, 12) and I don't see a lot of destruction. However, in the event myself and thousands of others disappear from the earth, it's not anything to do with the Mayans, but everything to do with the return of Jesus Christ for him who are his own. If we Christians are still here, talk to one of us to learn how to put JEsus in your life. If we are not, read God's word and trust God anyway, but be prepared for really hard times until Christ puts all things in the right order for good.

Oops. To those wanting to send a pre-payment for a copy of the upcoming book, "Nuts, Squirrles, and Knotholes in the Family Tree" the address is 612 College Street, Canton. I forgot this with an earlier post today.

The book "Nuts, Squirrels, and Knotholes in the Family Tree" will be available soon from Xlibris publishing, and at major book sellers stores like Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.  It will also be available

OR  if you contact me and send checks for $19.99 + $4 shipping (if out of Canton) to me, I'll send you a book ASAP. In Canton, I'll personally deliver to you. The book is at the printer's now, and I've signed off on the last proof.

Details: The book has several hundred generally humorous stories of the David Steinbeck of Canton, MO, and related families, and people who have interacted with the families.

Author: Me, silly (Dan Steinbeck)

Date available: Sometime shortly after Christmas

Questions: Call me 573-288-3043

With TV political ads, it is apparent that all candidates are crooks and cheats. Unlike us normal people who aren't running for office, every one of them, according to TV, is a low-life deluxe, and we can't have them in political office anymore. The candidates may be nice and civil in public, but obviously there were no good choices for candidates.
    And of course, the average Joe/Jane Q Public has NEVER voted for a tax hike (not for schools, cities, special districts, etc). because, according to TV political ads, that is just wrong. The average Joe/Jane has NEVER spoken ill about the elderly, the handicapped, or children, or for that matter political candidates.
     And if you aren't satisfied with the choices this time, then Average Joe/Jane should plan to put their name on the ballot in time for the next election, because after all, we're better and smarter than the candidates running, right?

Be watching for coming announcements. The book on Steinbeck and associated family stories will be published soon. It is at the printer, and corrections are being made. Guaranteed to bring at least one smile to nearly every reader.

Every now and then we hear of a video going "viral," meaning a lot of people have suddenly watched it. This thought has dawned on me  - how many views does a video have to have before it reaches viral status? Was is viral status? how fast does it have to occur to be more than just a popular video?
    Most videos eventually run their course, and so does a former "viral" video take on a new name or status? How long does it take for one video to be a has been?
    Do the makers of the videos just sit around a couple dozen computers and just keep clicking to "see" their videos to bump their popularity to viral status?

Several weeks ago, I went to the Social Security Office in Hannibal. there is a guard that my be armed that is a buffer for the people the customer wants to talk to. Somewhat intimidating. But a curious things were three photos one the wall.
    One photo was President Obama. I understand his photo and why it is there. One was Vice PResident Biden. I don't understand why his photo was there. One was another guy, whom I presume is the executive big-wig of the Soicla Security Administration. There was no identification on any of the photos and little else on the wall, except a few SSA notices, as I recall.
     I wonder, how many people wonder who the unidentified photo is. I wonder how many people recognize the Vice-PResident. I wonder if anyone doesn't recognize the PResident. I wonder why there are no names to identify, unless of course, paper with the names and offices typed costs too much in this pale economy.
     I also wonder why federal offices feel the need to put photos of the top people. That surely isn't an inexpensive effort, because after all this is the federal government of which we talk.
     I also wonder why there was no phtot - apparently - of the local head haunch, any of the employees, or the armed guard. Funny world.

I know Britain's Royal family live life in the proverbial fishbowl, but it seems there seems to be a royal history of notables in the family keeping clothing on in public. The latest is Kate, preceded by her brother-in-lawHarry just a few weeks earlier, preceded by Princess Di years ago. Wasn't there royalty tie Fergie that also had some problem with at least partial public nudity?
   Maybe instead of spending time learning the right wave and stuff, they ought to have a course reviewing the snaps, zippers and fasteners of clothing and instructions on how to properly use them.

     It seems to reason that when the new health care plan is fully implemented, there will be some arbitrary decisions. I dare say certain sick or elderly people will only get the care determined by a yet unknown part, because, after all, these are the ones it costs the most to treat. Sarah Palin was chastised for pointing out "death panels" but how can it not be something like this?
     It seems there is a similar bias going on now in the world, and many companies would deny it. There is blatant age discrimination in job hunts, but proving it is almost futile. Companies want younger, more tech savvy people who theoretically will cost a company less. But often, they don't ask what a 50+ person would want in a salary.
     Surely those of us over 50 have much to offer - experience, contacts, etc., but the options for us who bear the label "older" are limited at best. The trick is convincing companies first they ARE discriminating and there are good, employable people who can help their business.
   

      It's amazing how God works in our lives. I've been on the career hunt for many months now, trying to find myself. Although I'm still a ways from nailing down the next career choice, God has given me a vision, that while vague, ironically gives me a direction to pray. Right now I'm writing down the brief vision and developing thoughts as if to advise others on what God is doing in this vision.
 I realize that the one being advised at present is me.
       For now, I'll keep the details of the vision to myself, and perhaps a select few. The vision is one that shows open-ended potential and as I'll be praying to see how to best fill and fulfill the potential God wants me to use.
     

What will it take to wake people up? There is wide-spread drought in the country - post-Isaac rains notwithstanding. There have been numerous serious wildfires. Last year there were several serious tornadoes. There always seems to be an earthquake somewhere, which sometimes also brings a devastating tsunami.
    Outside of these disasters, there are world-wide economic problems, and solid values that are being changed.
     Folks, God is trying to get our attention. He's calling for us to repent from our wayward ways and turn to His holy ways. God is patient and forgiving, but his patience will only last so long. Don't test it to see how long it will last. Turn to God's leadership and eternal hope in Jesus Christ before it's too late.
    Unfortuantely, things can - and according to the Bible - will get worse. Now is the time to secure a future with God.

I have not been able to see as much of the Republican Convention as I hoped. The little bit I've seen has some impressive words - from the speakers. However, why doesn't the national media go ahead and just come out and endorse the candidates they want? You really aren't fooling many people. One network I've watched sure doesn't seem unbiased. As this is the Republican Convention, none of the speakers - in the national media reports I've heard, has been good, properly informed, correct, dressed well enough, or presented themselves in the right way.
    With the exception of Fox - who I have not watched in months - we can guess that the next convention will be stunning, spectacular, and the speakers hit every issues correctly, in the eyes of the national media. I suspect if you gave two speakers of opposing political parties the same speech, the networks would swoon over their side, but the other guy was just short of being a loser.

I was just watching some Rachael Ray this afternoon. She was cooking up a modern day tuna surprise, or as she called it, a grown-up version that includes mushrooms, and wine and all kinds of stuff. I guess I haven't watched many cooking shows before, or maybe it just happens with heres, but as she was naming some of the ingredients - tarragon for example, the audience started applauding.
     Now was the crowd really that excited about tarragon? It's a fine spice and I've used it in some of my amateur cooking, but I never thought about applauding it. Maybe the crowd was still giddy about the use of wine (which as I recall also drew applause). MAybe they were just tickled to se RR in person
   And now a disconnected thought. RR is the same initials of the character played nby the late Gildna Radner Roseanne Roseanandanna.
   Is it right to applaud the mention of spices and ingredients at a food cooking show? Is it wrong? What am I missing. On by the way, I made homemade bread today, and one of the ingredients was brown sugar. Yes, thank you. I hear your applause.

Having been active in job searches for months, here are some of my general comments on job searches:
• Skills seem to be more impotent than where you worked in the past.
• However, if you are looking for a new job, you generally will need to have experience in the business to be considered. This makes career changes difficult, when people want to go a new way.
• There is a disturbing trend of pay by commission,without inclusion of a base salary. Even the best salesman doesn't sell to everyone and it can mess up a budget.
• In an effort to sound impressive, many job titles have been upscaled. This makes it difficult to find about the job responsibilities.
• Equally frustrating are companies that list 10-20 requirements and then add something like "other tasks as requested." It seems in this down-sizing mentality, companies want employees that can do everything in a company and be willing to work for minimum wage.
• There are so many applications that are time consuming - time wasting if you aren't hired.
• Government requires the W4-, I-9, and other forms, and many ask the same information. Isn't there a way these can be standardized and simplified?
• It's harder to keep the SS# private, since so many companies require it. One can only assume the reader of every application and form is legit and honest.
• For on-line applications, applicants generally have to impress the computer instead of the HR at the company with matching words in the job description. One can only guess some of those skilled at doing this that really aren't cut out for the work assigned, but have matched computer selected words.

Maybe it's just MacIntosh computers (Macs) or maybe it's other computers, too. I don't often use PCs so I can't judge. Sometimes I hit the back space and I get a message that says something to the effect of  "Are you sure you want to do this? If so another form will have to be sent." It almost makes me feel guilty, like I am inconveniencing someone. Surely a personal computer hasn't become that personal that  it takes it personally when I back space to a previous page. Anybody else have a comment on this (or the other blogs).

One more thing regarding most recent post. Many people seem to get caught up in nostalgia. We could all go silly remembering everything that was. SOme people still use/have the items other people only remember.

I like the concept of Facebook. However, it seems to me that a lot of people don't know how to communicate.
      Instead of talking about real events, happenings, we put trivial facts about our eating or hygienic habits, we allow pictures to be posted of people who are friends of a friend, we get people to play mind and time wasting internet games, trading points of products.we think every photo of family of which we are interested, will automatically be of interest to everyone else. Not always.
    Evaluate your friends posts, and evaluate yours. DOes it really matter to the world you are wearing your red shoes today?
    Instead of really communicating, we are electronically babbling.

Here is a political observation, and you can take it to reflect whomever you think it best fits. In political ads, it seems like a perfect plan is in the course of action of your past experience to cause blatant problems to which the public would negatively react,  - and rightly so. Then blame the opponent in the TV ads for doing those exact things of which your own hands caused similar problems. That's brash, that's wrong, and that's happening now. I hope America is paying attention to what is being said, and what has really happened. The Novemebr elections are much too important  - literally - for the future of the USA to dismiss this

After watching the Olympics, and in the never ending quest to find new events, here are some of the suggestions from family members, followed by perhaps an obvious comment. (Go ahead and blame the heat wave).

• The 10 meter dash - The key to this is literally all in the start
• The irregularly spaced 200 meter hurdles - good luck
• The uneven rings and the even parallel bars - Now that will mess with the mindset
• The synchronized unique diving - between a sumo diver and a pixie gymnast. Points are scored on how far the little pixie is tossed by the indoor tidal wave.
• Sumo short track bicycling. - MAy want to reinforce the tires.
• The shot put catch - Anyone can heave it, who can catch it?
• The church steeple chase - Even run only on Sundays, to see who can get to church the fastest.
• Javelin pin-the-tail-on the donkey. Becasue of animal rights activists, the target will be like at kids birthday parties - drawn, instead of a real donkey. Don't forget to attach your tail to the javelin before throwing it.
• Trampoline really high hurdles. The trick isn't in getting over the hurdles so much as it is advancing down the track.
• And in an effort to promote positive events, how about goodminton?

Coming in the next few months! Book about Steinbeck (and affiliated families) antics. Watch for details.

A pre-Halloween thought (Hey if the stores can go early on the holidays, so can I). If a certain social networking message is sent on Oct. 31, is it called a Twitter Tweet?

Why is it so many Olympic athletes want to bit on their medals? They don't even look like chocolate, unless it actually is chocolate and the "gold (or silver or bronze" is actually aluminum foil hiding something delicious.

The Olympics are a perfect time to get bleary eyed, trying to watch all events of the what - eight week - events.

Taking a technological step

I'm from northeast Missouri and been a writer for years, including 30+ for a small weekly newspaper. I'm reluctantly entering the technological age. Be watching for writings of what I see as humor, with times to inform only. I'll break in slowly. Stay tuned, and unlike other social media, I'm not going to post every time I put on my shoes, go grocery shopping, or take a shower.

Along unrelated recent job posts, I'm in the process of publishing a compilation of family stories, I expect there to be news on this front in the coming months. Stay tuned.

Also, I still pastor Southern Baptist Fellowship Church in Wayland, Mo.

I have changed secular jobs and am now a desk clerk at Canton, Mo Comfort Inn.

I'm compiling a history of funny stories involving the David Steinbeck family - David, JoAnn Crawford Steinbeck, Dan Steinbeck, Deanna Steinbeck Schmidt, and Jennifer Steinbeck Pegler, their children, various inlaws. If you have something to contribute send a brief account to canton dan@gmail.com for consideration. Also send a contact number, in case I need to further contact you and clarify details. Don't worry if you can't think of any. I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 200 now. Watch for more details

Just thinking about jobs

It's difficult in a modern society to job-hunt on-line, when the focus is career change. They want to match you with what you've known, and not what you can/may want to do.